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Lebanon ski resort owners are praying for snow because the unusually warm weather this year has stalled the country’s lucrative ski season. Walid Kanaan runs the luxurious Intercontinental Mountain Resort and Spa at Mzaar in the Mountain town of Faraya, northeast of Beirut. He said many clients cancelled their reservations for the month of January. Faraya is about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level and…
A number of hotels in Abu Dhabi are claiming they have more stars than were awarded to them under Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA) strict star rating system introduced last September. The new system is meant to increase standards at hotels in the capital and provide tourists with a consistent guide. Before the system was in place, hotels effectively determined their own ratings. Abu Dhabi spent about two…
The little known four star Southern Sun Al Manzil in downtown Burj Khalifa has been ranked by the TripAdvisor website as number one out of 370 properties in Dubai. The South African managed hotel has bumped Grosvenor House to take the number one spot in Dubai, thanks to dozens of five star ratings and enthusiastic praise from users. TripAdvisor determines overall satisfaction based on ratings and reviews…
The luxurious Swiss-Belhotel was officially inaugurated today, giving Masirah Island its own luxury resort. Minister of Tourism and Chairperson of Omran, who attended the ceremony, said “This represents a new milestone by Omran in developing the tourism sector in the Sultanate by introducing various products and facilities to Omani visitors.” Dr. Rajha bin Abdulameer said Omran has been given a mandate to…
The number of local tourists visiting the city of Tabarka and Ain Drahem (north western Tunisia) in December 2009, increased remarkably to 2,540, up from 1,120 for the same month last year. The number of nights increased from 1,500 to 4,000. The increase is attributed to a growing number of tourism activities in the region, and noticeable changes in the income and living conditions of Tunisian households.…
A top executive for Swiss-Belhotel International said in several years, the Middle East will account for 25 percent of its global sales, prompting it to announce the addition of 1,000 new hotel rooms or five hotels to the region’s pipeline over the next eighteen months. Gavin Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss Belhotel International, said “We currently operate five hotels in the region or 750 rooms in total.…
STR Global data of hotel performance in the Middle East between January 2009 and November 2009 shows that revenue per available room (RevPAR) declined 32.3 percent to $163.36, compared to the same period in 2008. Occupancy rates in the emirate also fell during this period, by 11.8 percent to 69.2 percent compared to the same period last year. This latest performance review by STR Global and Deloitte is…
Rotana, the UAE based hotel group, said it is planning to upgrade the 333 meter tall Rose Rayhaan on Sheikh Zayed Road. Rotana officially opened the 72 storey four star hotel on Wednesday. The Guinness Book of World Records has certified the Rose Rayhaan by Rotana as the world’s tallest building. The hotel has 481 rooms, suites, and penthouses, and will operate under the group’s alcohol-free brand, following…
After a year of cancelled projects, construction delays, and difficult financing, the year 2010 brings renewed hope for the hospitality industry with the opening of many iconic properties that stretch the landscape of the UAE. Last night the world watched the grand opening of the Burj Khalifa with amazement. The iconic tower, the world’s tallest, will also be home to the opulent 37 floor Armani Hotel. Each…
Sharjah will try to put itself on the global tourism map by taking part in more international exhibitions and road shows this year. Participating in these travel exhibitions has proven to be a very effective way to attract more visitors to the emirate. This year the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), will participate in 23 events. SCTDA Director General, Mohammad A. Al No’man said…
Burj Dubai’s Armani Hotel will officially open on March 18th, it was announced on Monday. The hotel is the first to open as the result of collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties, and will be housed in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai. The Armani Hotel Dubai is the renowned fashion designer’s debut into the world of hospitality. The hotel is being marketed as Dubai’s most exclusive…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is leading a significant campaign to provide substantial, sector wide, energy, water, and waste reduction by the end of 2010. ADTA is spearheading the campaign under its Environmental, Health, and Safety Management System (EHSMS) for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector. The tourism authority is aiming to achieve a savings of 10 percent in energy, 20 percent in water, and 20…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said that Abu Dhabi will probably not cap hotel room rates for major events this year because the addition of new hotels will probably result in more competitive prices. In the past there has been a shortage of hotel rooms, making it hard for visitors to book rooms during popular events and conferences. However, ADTA director of tourism standards, Nasser al Reyami, said…
General Manager of the French Hotel chain ‘Le Concord’ announced that the chain will increase its activities in Tunisia by building two new hotels by 2012. One of the hotels will be located near a unit it is currently operating at the Berges du Lac in Tunis, and the other will located in Bizerta, north of Tunisia. The Birzerta unit is part of the “Bizerta Cap 3000” project which involves building marinas,…
Dubai is gearing up for the historic opening of Burj Dubai on Monday. Security plans are already in place for the inauguration ceremony, which will be open to the public. About 6,000 visitors are expected to attend and there is parking space for over 7,300 vehicles. Over 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to secure the area. There are a number of locations in the city where the fireworks display…
JAL Hotels is planning to launch a luxury hotel in Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road in April 2010, despite financial difficulties plaguing its parent company, Japan Airlines (JAL). JAL Hotels became the first Japanese company to operate hotels in the region when it opened the JAL Fujairah Resort and Spa in 2007. The new 471 room Hotel JAL Tower Dubai will be a five star property aimed at business travelers. JAL…
Hotel bookings in Dubai and the UAE have increased from 75 percent to full occupancy during this holiday season as airlines offer reduced fares to some destinations. Deputy General Manager of Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, Antony Wade, said their hotels are at full occupancy for the Christmas and New Year festivities. He said they were fully booked for the Christmas brunch and dinner reservations are very…
The latest data compiled by STR Global shows hotels in the UAE had a difficult year with falling occupancy rates and a 28.3 percent drop in revenue per available room (revPar) to AED 766.11 in November. The year-on-year average daily rate (ADR) also fell more than 21 percent to AED 1,015.23. By contrast, figures for Saudi Arabia showed an increase in all three categories: hotel occupancy rates increased over…
